All is Calm and All is Bright
by themadgirlinthebluebox
Summary: Liam and Kathryn spend a quiet morning together on their first Christmas as parents. Post Season 4. AU. Futurefic.


AN: This is sort of rushed, but I felt like writing some holiday fluff. This takes place in the same universe as all my other Kiam holiday fics. I hope you enjoy and leave some kind feedback!

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Christmas morning starts off quiet and Kathryn wakes up to find herself alone. In fact, she forgets it's Christmas for a moment as she rubs the sleep from her eyes. Liam's side of the bed is empty when she rolls over. There's no sound of Amelia on the monitor which has been her alarm clock for the past seven months. But then she sees the tree in the corner of the room and smiles.

Last year, she forced Liam to pick out a tree for their flat. She had been pregnant and hormonal and the fact that the tree she wanted was too tall, had moved her to tears. Liam assuaged her by promising they could have a tree in every room once they moved. But with several bedrooms, a library, and a handful of sitting rooms, a tree for each one seemed a bit excessive even to her. So they had settled on one in their room, the nursery, and the main sitting room. She thought decorating her flat had been the highlight of the holiday season but decorating this house was a whole other level.

The house had been a wedding gift from Helena and sometimes she still couldn't believe this was her home. It was a comfortable 45 minutes away from London. So it was close enough for her family to visit but not too close that Liam's could pop in unannounced. And even though Liam would never admit it out loud, Kathryn knew he'd preferred to be as far from his brother as possible. Liam had unsuccessfully tried to get her to move to one of his family's homes in Scotland. But they had decided on Bagshot Park instead. The house is spacious and on several acres of land that offer privacy for the three of them. She thinks they have settled in quite nicely over the past few months. The excitement of spending her first Christmas as a married couple and parents propels her out of bed.

The floor is cold on her feet as she pulls on her robe and she fights a yawn. She finds herself thinking about just how different this Christmas is compared to years prior. It was two years ago today that she had woken up with a knot in her stomach. Liam had shown up on Christmas Eve and tried to win her back. His words still rang in her head. At the time, she had no idea just how right he was.

"You have a future with me." He told her in a firm voice. "I want you and I will fight for you."

She had still been trying to do the right thing and not come between brothers so she had turned him down. He had let out a long breath and he had instantly put up a wall. He had looked as devastated as she felt. The regret she had felt when Liam stormed back out into the cold was almost instant. He had been gone for all of two seconds when she realized that part of her wanted a future with him too.

Kathryn's beyond grateful for the second chance.

The house was still quiet as she walks down the hall to the nursery. The decorations that adorn the walls make her smile. She had wasted no time and had started decorating the first day of November. Liam had still been eating candy corn when the first wreath went up. Much to his credit though, he had been more in the spirit this year. That was saying something. Liam had never been a huge fan of the holiday even as children. But last year he had finally started to come around.

It was on this day last year that Liam and Kathryn had spent their first holiday as a couple. It seemed like a lifetime ago that they were in her small flat waiting to be married and for their daughter to arrive. She had spent the whole month of December trying to get him in the mood. They had baked cookies, picked out a tree, watched movies and even gone to a Christmas market. By the time the day finally arrived Liam seemed to have given in. Even a nasty row with his brother hadn't dampened his spirits as they quietly celebrated the big day. Maybe it was because it was his first Christmas as a father but he seemed even more festive this year. On more than one occasion, she found Liam humming a carol under his breath as he made breakfast. He had also been reading holiday-themed books to Mia each morning. So when she opens the door to the nursery she's expecting to find the two of them.

"Merry Christ-."

Her greeting trails off because the chair in the corner is empty and so is the crib. Liam usually wakes up first and even though she's only seven months old, the baby takes after her father and is an early riser as well. She could always find them in here. But not today, apparently. That's when she hears baby talk from somewhere downstairs. The closer she gets to the staircase the louder it gets and she can hear Liam sighing to himself.

Carefully, she creeps down the stairs and makes her way to their main family room. Amelia is babbling and Liam shushes her.

"We have to be quiet, love. This is the one day a year your mum is a morning person." He explains gently. "We have to get this done."

There's the sound of crinkling paper and more cooing. Liam responds to this as if he were talking to an adult.

"I _know_ I could have had the staff wrap this, but that feels like cheating." There's a hint of laughter in his voice. "And you know Mummy would think that's against the spirit of Christmas."

Kathryn finally peaks around the corner and she softens at the sight before her. Liam and Amelia are sat on the floor near the tree. The baby's playing with a toy and watching Liam intently. His brows are pulled together in intense concentration as he struggles to fold wrapping paper around a bundle. She watches with a fond smile as her husband gingerly tapes whatever he's trying to wrap. He leans back and admired his work for a moment before glancing at Mia.

"What do you think?"

Mia stares at him with the same blue eyes and mumbles. Liam shakes his head and places the gift under the tree.

"It's the thought that counts." He stretches out to lay on his stomach so he's at her eye level. "You know how she is, she's going to love it."

The Christmas lights cast a soft glow in the darkened room and Amelia's fascinated by them. She reaches up at the ornaments with her small hands and Liam guides her away. The two of them sitting under the tree looks like something from a Christmas card and Kathryn doesn't want to interrupt the moment.

"Maybe you do take after Mummy. Is this your favorite holiday?" She grabs at Liam's face and he kisses her fingers. "Well, don't tell Mum but I definitely don't hate it."

Kathryn takes the chance to clear her throat. "Good morning."

Liam and Amelia turn their heads at the same time and the baby reaches out for her mother. Kathryn joins them by the tree and takes her into her lap

"Merry First Christmas." She kisses the top of her head. "What trouble are two getting into?"

"Enjoying some quiet time. She definitely likes the bulbs and lights."

The tree is decorated in gold and red bulbs, lights, and tinsel. It's twice as tall as the one she had cried over the year before but that's not what truly matters. Sharing it with her husband and daughter is what makes it special. One, in particular, makes her smile. She points it out to Mia in a quiet voice.

"You see this one? I gave this one to Daddy last year." Kathryn traces her fingers over the heart-shaped decoration. "He was such a good sport about all the Christmas stuff I wanted to do. He went out into a snowstorm because I wanted candy canes, he watched _Love Actually _on a loop, and we even picked out a tree together. See?"

Liam shook his head as the three of them looked at the picture that was inside the ornament. They were standing in front of the tree, Liam's hands cupped around her stomach. There was a hint of redness to Kathryn's nose.

"That's me, Daddy, and technically you. Daddy wasn't too pleased with me dragging him out into the cold."

"Mummy cried like a baby." Liam jostles Kathryn before speaking to Mia. "No offense, love."

The baby simply continues to babble and point at the lights. Kathryn presses a kiss against her blonde, baby fine hair.

"That was our first Christmas together. And now we get to spend our first Christmas with you. We're so glad you're here." She hangs the ornament back on the tree. "We're going to make so many memories and start traditions and it's going to be your favorite holiday."

Liam perks up and leans over. "Speaking of traditions, it's kind of becoming our thing to start new ones. Mia and I figured we could start this one because there's three of us now."

Kathryn watches as her husband lunges towards the tree and pushes through the piles of neatly wrapped gifts. They're mostly for Amelia from Liam's mum and sister and Kathryn's father and sister. But Liam produces the same parcel he had wrapped earlier and trades Kathryn for the baby.

"I wonder who wrapped this?" She shakes the package with a teasing grin. "And if it has to do with that gift wrap over there?"

"Well, it's not exactly easy to wrap something for you when you're always popping into rooms unannounced." Liam rolls his eyes and talks to his daughter. "I guess we should have gone with the gift bag."

Amelia just gives an excited grin and blows bubbles in response. Kathryn tears off the paper and shakes her head in amusement right away because that when she takes a good look at her husband and daughter. They're both in candy cane striped pants and grey long sleeve shirts, the same outfit that's peeking out from the snowflake wrapping paper.

"You got us matching Christmas pajamas?" She sticks out her bottom lip a bit and her voice is hushed. "Really?"

"I had the idea last year." He admits. "But I thought it'd be weird for two adults to dress the same, it's much cuter with a baby in the mix. And you kept mentioning your favorite part as a kid was staying in your pajamas all day with your mum. Plus, I-"

Kathryn finishes for him as she tears off the rest of the paper. "Never got to wear pajamas on Christmas morning because you had to go sit in church and be a royal first and a kid second. I remember."

"Mum would elbow me to sit up straight and my outfit was always scratchy." He gestures to the pajamas he's in. "So, I figured why not start a new tradition so she doesn't have to grow up in stuffy clothes on a holiday."

"I love you." Kathryn presses a kiss to his lips and brushes her thumb over his cheek. "It's perfect. Merry Christmas."

"I love you too, Merry Christmas." He echos with a warm grin. "Now, go change. We have a first Christmas to celebrate."

Kathryn gives both of them one last kiss before climbing to her feet. "Be careful, if you keep this up someone might think this is your favorite holiday."

Liam shakes his head for a moment but simply stares at the baby resting in his lap. "There's just something different about this year."

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AN: Merry Christmas, Loyals! I feel like Liam and Kathryn as parents at Christmas would be the cutest thing. I hope you enjoyed this short and fluffy holiday fic. There are some other Kiam and Royals fics in the works.


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